stockslivevan wrote:So I watched TWINE on AMC, one of my first Bond flicks before I became interested in the series. It's still quite an uneven film for me. It tries to keep that OTT aspect from the Moore films while at the same time make it a kitchen sink drama, hence the hiring of Michael Apted. I recall an interview in 2005 that Brosnan expressed that he never felt he got a handle on the Bond role and he that hated the one-liners. Can't blame him. He never really looked like he was having a ball as Bond in these flicks like his predecessors did, although it doesn't come close to Connery's blatant sleepwalking in YOLT.
The main problem in this flick isn't its inconsistent tone of trying to be OTT Moore flick while at the same time be a serious Dalton flick. The story just isn't executed right. After the bomb goes off on MI6 there's a sniper on a boat who starts firing at Bond. Why? It didn't make a lick of sense. She was only placed there not to help progress the plot, but to start the action sequence which also doesn't progress the plot other than giving Bond a plot device injury that he doesn't really have throughout the film except for when it's demanded when he's in Kazakhstan and after that his injury no longer exists. In fact, NONE of the action sequences progress the story. This Bond flick has the most tacked on action sequences of the series. Just imagine the pointless helicopter battle in YOLT and multiply it. The story also attempts to have Bond fall in love with the Bond girl, with the plot twist of her being the main villain which is supposed to conflict Bond's feelings, but that isn't built up nor explored enough in the film to have anyone feel emotionally involved with what Bond is going through. Bond is hired as a bodyguard (shouldn't M place her 00s on more important jobs than babysitting?), without any build up Bond already sleeps with her so we're supposed to buy that he's in love since he doesn't have an objection like in all the other flicks. Elektra comes off too much as a spoiled brat who scorns daddy for not getting her a Lexus for her birthday, as opposed to an intimidating villain. When I want the character to get killed off, it's not because she's the villain, it's because she's annoying as f**k. It's funny how Bond comes back after confronting Renard and he just comes up to Elektra with no real evidence going "A-hah! I caught you!" Then there's Christmas Jones, who really has no place in the film other than to have Bond sleep with a lady at the end of the flick, given that Elektra is dead. In fact, there is no real relationship between Christmas and Bond. She comes off as a woman who isn't really interested in Bond in any way, a sort of Gala Brand. That would have been interesting. Have the ending not with her and Bond sleeping ala Roger Moore ending, but have Bond turned down by the girl, have her real man waiting from the distance and Bond takes a breath and keeps his cool, moving on. Perhaps they'll have this sort of dynamic on QOS between Bond and Camile, I'd really like to see this kind of thing in future Bond films.
On the positive side of things, there really isn't much but I did like the bit during the snow chase where a goon flies off a cliff and Bond makes a quip "see ya back at the lodge" only to see the goon have an extra parachute and cue Bond's face looking annoyed that his quip was pointless. I'll also give this film points for trying to take a more serious direction, despite being hampered by clichés and unnecessary material.
All in all, I give it a 2 out of 5. Close, but no cigar.
A problem James Bond films have when they try to play it relatively straight is that the action set pieces and plot/casting problems become more apparent within a less fantastical enviroment. Casino Royale also had this inconsistant problem. Still I liked The world Is Not Enough a lot more than this review. The speedboat chase at the start is the type of cinematic Bondian nonsense that I already feel nostalgic for.
Favorite Bond Movie: The Dark Knight Trilogy, Mission: Impossible, Kingsman: The Secret Service and The November Man or any upcoming actioners starring Pierce Brosnan (no, it's not James Bond which is good since it will help him expand his reputation as an actor especially in the action realm)
Favorite Movies: Star Wars Indiana Jones Star Trek The Dark Knight Trilogy Harry Potter Middle-Earth The Matrix Mission: Impossible The Mummy Jurassic Park Godzilla
stockslivevan wrote:I recall an interview in 2005 that Brosnan expressed that he never felt he got a handle on the Bond role and he that hated the one-liners. Can't blame him.
It would have been different if Cubby is still alive.
James wrote:A problem James Bond films have when they try to play it relatively straight is that the action set pieces and plot/casting problems become more apparent within a less fantastical enviroment.
I disagree. I think a serious Bond film can still work with action set pieces as long as they're believable and awe inspiring. The problem with TWINE was that it tried to be serious but at the same time give Bond his OTT gadgets that were more appropriate with the Moore flicks such as the grappling watch, mini-boat, ect. Bond can work as a serious film with action sequences if its done right. A simple concept such as a gasoline tanker chase in the twisting desert road in LTK turned out to be a very exciting and suspenseful set piece, one of my favorites of the series. I find that to be far more exciting than the boat chase in TWINE, but then again I pretty much find all of Vic Armstrong's contributions to be fairly dull, especially after GE had some fantastic sets such as the tank chase in St. Petersburg. Pure grit and stunts for me are far more exciting than magic buttons and special effects.
Favorite Movies: Bullitt, The Long Good Friday, The Towering Inferno, Jaws, Rocky, Superman the Movie, McVicar, Goodfellas, Get Carter, Three Days of the Condor, Butch & Sundance, The Sting, All the Presidents Men
With relatively no competition against it, how can TBM not gross at least $55 million opening weeking in the USA and surpass DAD's mark of $47 million? If it cannot top that mark in the USA under such circumstances, then DC's time as JB might speed a hasty retreat. It will NEVER come close to TBU's opening take in the USA. The followup effect that CR had could be missing this time around, limiting the revenue after the opening weekend. Agree or disagree?
bjmdds wrote:With relatively no competition against it, how can TBM not gross at least $55 million opening weeking in the USA and surpass DAD's mark of $47 million? If it cannot top that mark in the USA under such circumstances, then DC's time as JB might speed a hasty retreat. It will NEVER come close to TBU's opening take in the USA. The followup effect that CR had could be missing this time around, limiting the revenue after the opening weekend. Agree or disagree?
bjmdds wrote:If it cannot top that mark in the USA under such circumstances, then DC's time as JB might speed a hasty retreat.
I know you want Craig's tenure to fail as possibly as it can and have QOS be a major decline hoping that will give Craig the boot once and for all, but that's just not going to happen. At all. If getting kicked out of the Bond films was that easy then Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton would have been fired right after the performances of their second films, which were both major declines, especially TMWTGG coming off the popular LALD. Instead, they were kept (although Dalton would ultimately quit on his own after a long period of legal entanglements).
Yes but you and Sweeney and Benny are the man's only apologists around here, so if the movie doesn't do as well as you seem to think it will, you will run to his defense. Watch. It's almost an assured thing.
katied wrote:Yes but you and Sweeney and Benny are the man's only apologists around here, so if the movie doesn't do as well as you seem to think it will, you will run to his defense. Watch. It's almost an assured thing.
We've already said that if we find the film to be an utter failure, we wouldn't hesitate to say. Bond films are fickle, it's been a long time since we've had Bond films being consistently good in a row. IMO the last time we had two good Bond films in a row were TLD and LTK, or to an extent, LTK and GE.
We'll see.... I predict the "Ohhhh we love Daniel Craig and the movie WASN'T a flop" people to mount(huhuh I said mount) an attack against the people(pretty much everyone else) who are saying "I told you so" .
Even if it does flop (which is unlikely given NO Bond film has ever flopped), there wouldn't be any way to deny. I'd rather have a good film that flopped over a bad one that was successful, but overall I'd mostly want a good film to be successful.
Favorite Movies: Bullitt, The Long Good Friday, The Towering Inferno, Jaws, Rocky, Superman the Movie, McVicar, Goodfellas, Get Carter, Three Days of the Condor, Butch & Sundance, The Sting, All the Presidents Men
bjmdds wrote:With relatively no competition against it, how can TBM not gross at least $55 million opening weeking in the USA and surpass DAD's mark of $47 million? If it cannot top that mark in the USA under such circumstances, then DC's time as JB might speed a hasty retreat. It will NEVER come close to TBU's opening take in the USA. The followup effect that CR had could be missing this time around, limiting the revenue after the opening weekend. Agree or disagree?
Yup.It's gonna be a flop
If QOS doesn't flop, will you be the first on here to say `Ohhh no!! I was wrong!!!'
